Phonographic time announcer



Jan; 24, 1939. D. A. HERMAN 2,144,625

PHONOGRAPHIC TIME ANNOUNCER Filed March 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B Dea/rHHer/f/an HTTORNEY Patented Jen. 24, 1939 l 2,144,625

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHONOGBAPHIC TIME ANNOUNCER `Dean A. Herman, Fort Sill, Okla. Application March`31,` 1938, Serial. No. 199,295*

Claims. (Cl. 179-6) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883,` as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

Fig'. 3 is a side elevation of the invention applied to an electric phonograph;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof, and

This invention relates to time announcers; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 more particularly it is directed to a device of this 5-5 of Fig- 4. character for use in telephone exchanges for sup- In the illustrated embodiment characterizing piying subscribers with the' time of day. the invention I indicates a casing of a convenone of the objects of the invention is to provide tional electric phonograph in which a mechanism a, phonggraphi time announcer to supply con.. (not shown) is provided for revolving a turn- 10 tinuous single-voiced time announcements which table 2 having a record 3 mounted thereon. The Will simulate closely those given by the present turntable 2 is adapted to be rotated in the direcday manual telephone announcer, thus eliminati tion aS indicated by the arrow. thereby rotating ing the expense, fatigue and delay of operators in the record in the Same direction. large telephone exchanges in giving out the cor- The record 3A iS adapted t0 be provided With 15 rect time, 720 concentric grooves representing each minute Another object of the invention is to provide during the tWelve hours, Which conStitute the 0ra time service for telephone systems which will dinary period ln Which the hour hand 0f a timefunction to convey the correct time automati- Piece makes@ complete revolution- For purposes muy, correctly, instantly and ai; any moment to of clearness the record 3 is illustrated as only 20 give the correct time without having to depend having a certain number of concentric grooves upon human voice other than that -provided on 4- In groove c 0f the grooves 4 iS recorded the a record to convey the service to the subscriber. Words twelve Oclock; in groove b the Words This invention may obviously aiso be utilized twelve-one; in groove c twelve-two. etc. until in the dissemination of other information such as in groove y the Words eleven-fifty-eight. and in 25 weather and newspaper reports. Briefly stated, groove 2 the Words eleven-lifty-nine- The recthis invention consists. generally in a phonoord 3 iS also Provided With connecting grooves a', graphic .record (disk) inscribed with sentences b. c. etc. to e. and with a starting and spiral telling the various times of day, preferably one groove 5 and 5 reSDectively The grooves a to for each minute during the twelve hours, which e' connect the concentric grooves a to ato each 30 constitute the ordinary period ln which thehour other and the groove 5 connects With the groove hand of a timepiece makes a complete revoluc and extends closely adjacent to the outer tion; a phonograpnic reproducer transmitter periphery of the record. The spiral groove 6 adapted to travel across said record, a telephone iS provided at the center 0f the record and contransmitter connected to said phonographic renects with the last groove e' from Which it con- 35 producer transmitter suitable propelling means tinues Spirally around an inclined raised Portion for causing said phonographic reproduceritrans- 'I formed at the center of the record for causing mitter to move across the record for reproducing a phonographic reproducer transmitter 8 to be said time announcements; a timepiece in connecraised from the record after having reproduced tion With Said propelling means; Ineens including the, time announcements in the grooves a to z 40 a fr1cti'on device vflor returning vthe reproducer over a twelve hour period, transmitter to its initial starting 4position after The apparatus used in causing the phonocompletlon of lts gravel across the reord and graphic reproducer transmitter 8 to travel across flctlqn cmpensattng means for asslstmg the the record for reproducing the time intervals timepiece 1n operating the apparatus by creating 4 d t r tur 45 a clockwise torque on the minute hand of the Fecmded m the concenmc .gtooves an o. e n timepiece. 1t to its initial starting position, together with the .with the above and other objects and advam friction compensating means for assisting the tages in View, the invention consists of certain timelliece ln Operating the apparatus, is mounted features of construction and operation of parts on o Suitable framework 9 Composed of a bottom 50 which will hereinafter appear, and in whichplate I0 which is mounted on the upper Surface Fig. 1 is a topA plan view of an electric phonoof the phonograph casing l beneath the turngraph embodying the invention; y t table 2, and extends from adjacent one side of Fig-2 is across-sectional view taken on the line the turntable 2 across to one side of the casing 2-2 of Flgl; l where it is suitably bent to form a seat or sup- I6 'Il operation of the apparatus, and the shaft 44 is port II for a timepiece I2, containing an hourhand I3 and a minute-hand I4.

The framework 9 is provided with end bearing plates I5 and I6 and with an intermediate bearing plate I1 which provide a bearing support for the apparatus above the record 3. The end plate I5 and the intermediate plate I1 extend up from the bottom plate I8, adjacent opposite sides of the turntable 2 and record 3, where they are joined together by a propelling shaft .I8 and a pivot rod I9.. The shaft I8 is adapted to propel the reproducer transmitter 8 across the record and is provided with a threaded portion 28 containing square screw threads 2I which terminate at one end in an inclined portion 22 adjacent to the inner side of the intermediate plate I1. On the shaft I8 is an extension 23 which is connected at one end to the inclined portion 22 and passes through the intermediate plate I1 from which it extends across to the end plate I6. This propelling shaft I8 is adapted to be rotated by the minute hand I4 of the timepiece and could beconnected directly to the minute hand, but in order to make the device more efficient, a pinion 24 is mounted on the shaft I8 adjacent to the inner side of the end plate I6 to increase the rotation of the propelling shaft and allow more thread per inch on the shaft. The pinion 24 of the propelling shaft I8 meshes with a gear 25 mounted on an extension shaft 26, which extends through the end plate I6 where it is connected to the minute-hand I4 of the timepiece I2. 'I'he inner end of the minute-hand extension shaft 26 is adapted to project into a horizontal bore 21 provided in the outer end of a short horizontal projectingportion 28 of a gear 29 having a horizontal projecting threaded portion 38 provided on its opposite side from the portion 28. The threaded portion 38 of the gear 29 is adapted to threadably engage the outer end of an internally threaded sleeve 3|, the inner end of said sleeve being secured to the intermediate plate I1 by screws 32 or the like.

A drum 33 is mounted on the shaft 26 which is held in place thereon by a shoulder 34 formed on the shaft 26, at one side of the drum and by a saw-toothed wheel 35 which is mounted on the shaft 26 at the other side of the drum. The saw teeth on the wheel 35 are adapted to be engaged by hook-like dog members 36, as illustrated in Fig. 4, which are pivotally connected to the outer face of a flange 31, on one end of the drum.. A rope 88 is attached by one end to the drum 33 and is vwound thereon in a clockwise direction from where it extends downwardly through an opening 39 formed in the bottom plate I8. 'I'he free end of the rope 38 is provided with a weight 48 whereby friction compensating means are provided for assisting the timepiece I2 in operating the apparatus by creating a clockwise torque n the minute-hand extension shaft 26, in a manner to be hereinafter described. The inner end of the drum 33 is connected at one end to a plurality of horizontal pins 4I, the other or inner ends of the horizontal pins 4I being adapted to slide in horizontal bores 42 formed in the outer end of the projecting portion 28 of gear 29. The

gear 28 is adapted to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction by a pinion 43 which is smaller in diameter but larger in width than the gear 29. ,The pinion 43 is provided on the outer lend of a return shaft 44 which is adapted to engage with a hook 45 provided on the rear edge of the intermediate plate I1 at a particular point in the also provided with a threaded portion 46 which terminates in an enlarged inclined threaded end 41. This shaft 44 is provided for returning the reproducer transmitter 8 to its initial starting position and has a pinion 48 on its inner end whichis adapted to mesh with a crown wheel or ring rack gear 49 mounted on. the forward side of a wheel 58 having a felt or rubber tire 5I provided on its outer surface. The crown wheel or ring rack gear 49 and the wheel 58 containing the rubber tire 5I are partially inclosed within a housing 52 which is closed at its underneath forward side by a curved portion 19 whereby an opening is provided in the bottom of the housing through which the lower end of the wheel 58 and tire 5I are adapted to extend below the open bottom housing 52, whereby the rubber tire 5I may frictionally contact with the record 3 for rotating the wheel 58 and gear 49 to thus rotate the return shaft through the pinion 48.

In order to unbalance the return shaft 44 and its connecting mechanism, counterweights 53 and 54 are provided. The counterweight 53 is secured to the free end of an elongated body portion'55, which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the rod I9 and return shaft'44 closely adjacent to the inner side of the intermediate plate I1, while the counterweight 54 is mounted on the outer end of an elongated body portion 88 winch vis connected at its inner end to the housing 52 of the friction device indicated generally by A, which is in turn pivotally mounted on the pivotirod I9. The friction device A which lncludesf the gear 49, wheel 58 and rubber or felt tire 5I is pivotally mounted on the housing 52 by the shaft 8 which is arranged at right angles to the ret shaft 44. In order to facilitate adjustment of t ye bearing frame 9 swivel adjustment screws 56 y be provided, which contact with the upper surface of the casing I and with the side edge of the bearing plates I5 and I1.

The reproducer transmitter 8 comprises a casing 51 which is divided into two compartments 58 and 59 by a vertically extending inember 68 containing an opening 6I. Ihe casing 51 is closed at one side by a diaphragm 52 which'is connected with the needle 63 of the reproducer transmitter by a rod 64. Adjacent to the opposite side of the portion 68 of thev reproducer transmitter from the diaphragm 62 is a diaphragm 65 which is connected to one side of a box of carbon granules 66 by a small centrally located pin 61,' the othingsideVr of the box of carbon granules 66 beingifrcpnnected to the inner end or a pin s1'. 'rneippposite sides of the box of carbon granules. are connected to line wires 69 and 18 whiclrline-wires 69 and 18 form a part of the circuit to which subscriber telephones are attached. An ordinary telephone receiver 1I, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, is connected to the telephone line wires 88 and 1l and illustrates the useof theapparatus. In the use of the apparatus iny connection with vtelephone exchanges of course this telephone circuit passes through, the exchange or central station.

The/reproducer transmitter 8 is pivotally mounted on the rod I8 at its lower end substantially at the middle portion of its pivoted con nection with the guide rod I8 and is'provided with horizontally extending arcuate shaped threaded grooves 12 and 13, formed on the front and rear of the reproducer transmitter on opposite sides of the pivoted connection of the reproducer transmitter with the guide rod` I9. The threads-14 of the groove 12 are adapted to engage the square screw threads 2| of the propelling shaft I8 in such a manner that the reproducer transmitter needle 63 is caused to engage in the first groovea of the record 3 when the hands of the timepiece I2 are at twelve oclock. The arcuate threaded groove 'I3 of the reproducer transmitter is formed slightly higher on the casing 5'I than the arcuate groove I2 and the rear follower threads 15 thereof are adapted to engage the screw threads 'I6 of the threaded portion 46 on the return shaft 44 when the reproducer transmitter is to be returned to its initial starting position. The threads 'I6 of the return shaft 44 should slope in an opposite direction from the threads 2| of the drive shaft i8. On the upper end of the reproducer trans- -mitter is a horizontally extending tube 'I1 containing a freely movable metal ball 'I8 which is adapted to unbalance the reproducer transmitter 8 either in a forward or rearward direction when the reproducer transmitter has reached its travel across the record and is to be returned to its initial starting position by the return shaft 44'and also after it has been returned to its starting position.

In the operation of the mechanism assuming that the hands I3 and I4' of the timepiece I2 are at twelve oclock with the minute hand I4 moving to the right or in a clockwise direction,4 as indicated by the arrow in Figs. 2 and 4. This movement of the minute hand I4 rotates the extension shaft 26 and gear 25, which in turn rotates the pinion 24 in a counter-clockwise direction thereby rotating the propelling shaft I8 in the same direction.

The reproducer transmitter 8 having been placed to the right at its initial starting position with the metal ball 'I8 in the forward end of the tube 1l', the front end of the reproducer transmitter is caused to move down the inclined portion 22 of the propelling shaft I8 by means of the arcuate groove 12, whereby the reproducer transmitter needle 63 engages in the deep starting groove 5 which guides the needley to the 'rst groove a of the concentric grooves 4, provided on the record 3. The needle -63 by traversing the concentric groovea will thereby aetuate the diaphragms 62 and 65 of the reproducer transmitter for varying the resistance of the box of carbon granules 66, thereby causing the reproducer transmitter to announce over the telephone line wires 69 and 'Ill to the subscriber the words twelve oclock. The needle 63 having traversed the groove a the reproducer transmitter will then be moved horizontally toward the center of the record by the thread 'I4 of the threaded groove 'I2 of the reproducer transmitter engaging the square threads 2| of the propelling or drive shaft I8, exactly the distance between grooves a and 17 when the minute hand I4 of the timepiece has moved forward one minute at twelve-one, the needle 63 being guided to groove b by the connecting groove b. The needle 63 will then continue to move around the groove b until the minute hand of the timepiece moves to two minutes after twelve oclock, thus causing the reproduce: transmitter to announce the word twelve-two over the telephone line wires 69 and 18, at`which time the needle will move to groove c by its connecting groove c', etc. This movement to each of the concentric grooves a to e is assisted by the rotation lof the drive shaft I8 which produces friction that tends to raise the forward end of the reproducer transmitter and hence its needle 63 so that the needle may be caught by the connecting grooves a to z'. When the hands I3 and I4 of the timepiece I2 have reached the time of eleven-fifty-nine, or one minute of twelve, the needle 63 will be in the last groove z of the record 3. As the minute-hand I4 of the timepiece turns to twelve oclock the last thread of the threaded groove 'l2 of the reproducer transmitteris thrown clear of the last thread 20 of the propelling or drive shaft I8. This lurch of the reproducer transmitter carries the needle 63 to thed beginning of the spiral groove 6 which continues to carry the needle toward the center and raises it up the inclined portion 1 of the record. 'I'he pitch of the screwthreads 2| of the propelling or drive shaft I8 and the speed of this shaft I8 are such that the speed of the reproducer transmitter and needle across the record are properly timed with relation to the grooved record 3.

Obviously in the operation of the system it is necessary to return the reproducer transmitter to its starting position after being extended over a twelve hour period. The return mechanism is such that the reproducer transmitter is returned to its starting position in a fraction of a minute and consequently there is no interference with the time keeping by such action.

In the operation of the vreturn mechanism, the

return movement of the reproducer transmitter is begun when the needle 63 nears the top of the inclined portion I of the record 3. This upward movement of the needle 63 raises the forward end of the reproducer transmitter and causes the tube 'I1 to be in an inclined or slanting position from the horizontal which causes the freely movable metal ball 'I8 to roll through the tube to the rear which unbalances the reproducer transmitter and moves it about its pivoted connection with the guide rod I9 in a rearward direction, whereby the rear follower threads 'I5 of the arcuate groove I3 at the rear of the reproducer transmitter are caused to threadably engage the screw threads 'I6 of the return shaft 44. 'Ihe weight of the ball I8 also begins to unbalance-the return mechanism including the friction device A, thereby lowering the ring rack gear 49 and the wheel 56 downwardly until the felt or rubber tire 5| on the wheel 50 frictionally contacts with the rotating record 3, As the tire 5| comes into contact with the upper surface of the record 3, the wheel 59 and gear 49 are rotated in the opposite direction from the record or in a counter-clockwise direction, which in turn rotates the pinion 48 in mesh with the gear 49 in a clockwise direction and 'hence the return shaft 44 :lnl the same direction, whereby the reproducer` transmitter is screwed to the right on the return shaft 44 to the inclined threaded portion 41 thereof which is enlarged in diameter so that as the reproducer transmitter 8 reaches its starting position the threads provided on the enlarged portion 41 raise the rear of the reproducer transmitter upwardly until the rear of the tube 'I1 is higher than its front end, thus causing the ball 1.8I to roll forward overbalancing the reproducer transmitter in a forward direction to its'starting position.

After this return movement of the reproducer transmitter which takes place in a fraction of a minute, the needle 63 of the reproducer transmitter 8 is again caused to slide down the enlarged inclined portion 22 of the propellingshaft I8 from where it is again guided to the first gnccx-'e a by the starting groove 5. As'the reproducer i moved far enough to the right to disconnect from transmitter topples forward the return mechanism is overbalanced forward on the rod i9 by the counterweights 53 and 54, thereby raising the housing 52 from the record and the friction device A. When the wheel 50 of the friction device A clears the record 3 this overbalancing movement is stopped by the return shaft 44 engaging the' hook45 provided on the rear edge of the intermediate bearing plate l1. At twelve oclock when the return mechanism is unbalanced on the guide rod I9 for the return of the reproducer transmitter to its initial starting position by the return shaft 44, the pinion 43 on the outer end of the shaft 44 is also moved downwardly with the return shaft and meshes with the gear 29 thereby causing the gear 29 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. This counter-clockwise rotation of the gear. 29 causes the drum 33 also to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction through the pins 4|, thus disengaging the dog members 36 on the drum from the saw-teeth of the wheel 35 of the minute-hand extension shaft 29 and causes the rope 38 to be wound up on the drum, thus pulling the weight 4U upwardly. As the weight 40 moves upwardly, the gear 29 being rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the pinion 43 is caused to be screwed to the right, due to the pitch of the threads provided on the threaded portion 30 of the gear 29 and of the threads in the casing 3|. At the moment that the weight 40 is moved completely up the gear 29 is the pinion 43. At this instant the dog members 38 then reengage the saw-toothed wheel 35, whereby the weight 4l) pulling down on the ropa 3l causes the drum to rotate in a forward or clockwise direction, thus introducing a clockwise torque on the minute-hand extension 26 which is exactly equal to the friction set up in the extension shaft 2B and the propelling shaft I8.

Alternate methods of combining a phonograph reproducer and telephone transmitter into a single unit may be provided such as omitting the diaphragms enti-rely from the reproducer transmitter and fastening the needle arm of the reproducer transmitter to the carbon-electrode of the transmitter so that the vibrations of the needle are transmitted metallically to change the pressure on the carbon granules of the transmitter or with the additional connection of a stabilizing diaphragm of thin metal to soften or cushion the vibrations of the needle arm. Also use may be made of a simplified type of phonographic time announcer consisting merely of the phonograph with turntable, the pivot or guide shaft set in a frame with a record on each concentric groove of which is recorded a short weather forecast or other announcement. In this case the reproducer transmitter is merely placed by hand n so that it will continually announce any information that is desired. The circuit to the mechanism which revolves the turntable can easily be closed'automatically as an incoming call is connected in and disconnected automatically when the calling circuit is broken. In this way undue wear on the record and other mechanism will be prevented.

It will thus be seen that there is provideda highly new and useful formI of phonographic time announcer which is well adapted for all the purposes intended. Eventhoughthere has been described and claimed certain features ofconstruction and operation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made Itherein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having described my inventionjwhat I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a phonograph announcer having a record thereon; a reproducer 'transmitter including a needle guided to move on the record; driving means to feed the reproducer transmitter toward the center of the record; lifting means on the central portion of the record to raise the needle and reproducer transmitter; and means including a friction device adapted to be driven by the record for returning the reproducer transmitter to its starting position, after the reproducer transmitter is raised.

2. In a phonograph announcer havinga record thereon; a reproducer transmitter including a needle guided to move on the record; driving means to feed the reproducer transmitter toward the center of the record; lifting means on the central portion of the record to raise the needle and reproducer transmitter; means including a friction device adapted to be driven by the record for returning the reproducer transmitter to its starting position, and a friction compensating device connected to be operated by the driving means and a portion of the means for returning' the reproducer transmitter to its starting position, whereby the driving means is assisted in feeding the reproducer transmitter toward the center of the record.

3. In a phonograph announcer having a movable grooved record; a reproducer transmitter including a needle guided to move on the record; clockwork driving means to feed the reproducer transmitter toward the center of the record; lifting means on the central portion of the record to raise the needle and reproducer transmitter; a screw threaded return shaft above the record, a friction device connected with said return shaft and adapted to be driven by the record for driving said returnshaft; and means on the reproducer transmitter to engage the screw threads on said shaft after the reproducer transmitter is raised, whereby the reproducer transmitter is returned to its starting position on the record.

yil. In a phonograph announcer having a disk record; a reproducer transmitter including a needle guided to move on the record; clockwork driving means including a screw threaded propeller shaft above the record to feed the reproducer transmitter to the center of the record; lifting means on the central portion of the record to raise the needle and reproducer transmitter; a screw-threaded return shaft above the record parallel with the propelling shaft and at the rear of the reproducer transmitter; a friction device connected with said return shaft and adapted to be driven by the record for driving said return shaft and means on the reproducer transmitter to engage the screwthreads on said return shaft after the reproducer transmitter is returned to its starting position. l 5. In a phonograph announcer having a disk record bearing a plurality of recorded time announcement grooves; aA reproducer transmitter including a needle guided to move on the record; clockwork driving means including a screwthreaded propelling shaft above the record to feed the reproducer transmitter to the center of the record; a spirally grooved raised portion on the central portion of the record to raise the needle and reproducertransmitter; a friction device adapted to be driven by the record; a screwthreadedrewrnlhaftconnoctedtobedrivenby 

